Solid-state polarity tester for telephone equipment

ABSTRACT

A solid-state polarity tester provided with ground and battery terminals for connection to like contacts of a battery in a telephone central office switchroom, and with a probe to test polarity of telephone equipment, the same embodying two similar circuits between the probe and each respective terminal, each said circuit including an indicator lamp and a transistor that switches on to close the circuit through one lamp according to the direction of current flow, and shorting out the other lamp. The tester includes a third circuit between the probe and the ground terminal and including a glow tube energized to indicate either high-level DC or AC in contact with the probe.

United States Patent (72] Inventors JimC. Garrett;

Robert ll. Johnson, both of 3300 East Spring St Long Beach, Calif. 90806 [21] Appl. No. 857,368 [22] Filed Sept. 12, 1969 [45] Patented All'.l7, 1971 SOLID-STATE POLARITY TESTER FOR TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. (I 324/133, 324/725 [51] Int. l G0lr19/l4, I GOlr 19/16 [50] Field of Search 324/51, 72.5, 133; 340/248, 249

[56] References Cited uu'mao STATES PATENTS 2,476,115 7/1949 Runbaken 324/725 UX 2,9g; 17 2 81351 Karlicek 3,157,870 11/1964 Marinoetal. 324/133X 3,311,907 3/1967 Teal 340/248 3,452,656 7/1969 Ruhle et al... 340/248 UX 3,525,939 8/1970 Cartmell 324/133 FORElGN PATENTS 1,072,209 6/1967 Great Britain 324/133 Primary Examiner-Gerard R. Strecker At!orney- Hyman Jackman ABSTRACT: A solid-state polarity tester provided with ground and battery terminals for connection to like contacts of a battery in a telephone central oflice switchroom, and with a probe to test polarity of telephone equipment, the same em- ,bodying two similar circuits between the probe and each respective terminal, each said circuit including an indicator lampand a transistor that switches on to close the circuit through one lamp according to the direction of current flow, and shorting out the other lamp. The tester includes a third circuit between the probe and the ground terminal and including a glow tube energized to indicate either high-level DC or AC in contact with the probe.

so ismrs PQLARITY msrssron rsLr H NE QumMEN BACKGROUND or THE iNvsN i-ioN 1, Field of the Invention Testing for polarity of various terminals of -j al ofiice elep ne installations din i y entails the us 01 [*Psns v test apparatus requiring to be carted from place to place. Such apparatus frequently is comb ned with other testing means,

reby b n rendered i apa le of e ng rm a a pocket-size impiernent, as contemplated in this invention.

2. Description of the Prior Art The art known to the applicants is:

Karnper, US. Pat. No. 2,229,927, datedJan, 194,1, Linton; v

, SUMMARY QFTHE INVENTION The present instrument is more particularly devised for use in the telephone industry for indicating 48-v. negative battery or positive ground; for reading AC ringing generator or highlevel DC withoutoperating switches; and for carrying out the above functionsjon the same circuit.

The invention has for its objects to, provide, an instrument,

' as above, of pocket sine for ready availability to preform the ab veste t ti g fun n nd, gs al yi as n. aid orest: ing telephone equipment and shooting ttquble; to check fore y or ground n the pho ccmpa y'switchr om,

without changing connections; to. provide forchecking generator; to provide a means for convenient storing of the electrical conductors during periods of nonuse; and to. provide for retraction of the probe during nonuse.

BRIEF QESCRIPTIONIOF rue DRAWIN I t d aw g. ik fe enc c ar ers d gna e. mi ar Par s nth svsralv sws- FIG. 1 is a plan view 01: a polarity tester according to the in; vention, with the probe thereof in eirtendedzposition;

FIG. 2 an enlarged longitudinal sectional view; thereof; with the probe inretracted, nonoperative position FIG. 3, to the scaleof. FIG. 2, is a bottom-planview of acira cuit board; component of the polarity tester, the sar nemounting the electrical elements thereof, u p

FlGf."-4 is a wiring diagram, showing theelectrical connections between the electrical elements of the tester.

FIG. 5 is a brok en elevatio nal'viewv of a 310 plug common to. the. telephone industry.

DESCRIPTION, QF THE PREF ERRED:EMBQD 1154151511? nected tothe body and enclosingthe circuit boardassembly, a.

2 1 The endofthe case:5 opposite the chuck 8 is provided with two transparentjewels l8 and 19 in side-by-side'relation one of them white and the other red. Also,theplate"- 7, member 16 and the board 17 are provided with regi'stering holes20.

The board 17 of the circuit board assembly 6 mounts ag aseousedischarge glow tube 21 located so as to be visible through the registering holes 20, and test lamps 22 and 23, the former in register with and, when lit, causing the white jewel 18 to glow, and the latter, when lit, causing the red jewel 19 to glow. Test lamps, such as lamps 22 and 23,-used in the telephone industry,- can indicate only one potential at a time. The connecting circuit must be changed toindicate another potential. The same cannot read high-level DC or AC without burning out. The glow tube 21 is provided with elongated electrodes 21g,

said tube being so located with relation to the registering holes as. to be visible therethrough.

.Said board ,17 also mounts transistors 24 and 25 (respectively PNP and NPN), diodes 26 and 27, a resistor 28 in the grounded side of the glow tube, and a second resistor 29. Said 'board 17 is also provided with a battery terminal 32 and a ground terminal 33. The central office 48-v. battery is adapted to be connected, by means of terminals 32 and 33 to the respective clips 34 and 35 on the ends of conductors 36 and 37 extending through the cord 10, as in FIG. 1, to the terin tials 32 and. 33 to, respectively, bring battery and ground to said terminals. FIG. 5 shows a typical 310 plug 10:: that may be used instead of the cordlo for central office installations equipped to accept the same, the tip. 34a being battery and the sleeve 35a being ground.

' The chuck 8comprises a bushing 36 extending from the end wall, 14: that is opposite the wall that mounts the jewels l8 and 159,, the same having a split end 37'. The chuck includes an insulatiomcovercd collet 38 threadedly engaged with the chuck andadapted to compress: the bushing end 37 to clamp the probe 9, which extends therethrough. CircuitExplanation: I I

Connect the terminals 34-and 35, or the 310 plug, to a central ofice 4-8-v. battery battery to the tip and. ground onto the sleeve. withv battery andground thus connected to the device, a circuit is established wherein ground will flow through diiodeZ'I andconductor 40'to lamp 23, and conductor 4:11 to lamp 22, and through line 42' and diode 26 to battery.

When the extended probe 9' comes into contact with ground, acircuit is, established: wherein the current flow is throughline43. to theresistor 29 and conductor 44 to the base chuck 8 carried byoneendot. said body, a probe 9 secured to the body. by; the chuck 8, in selected extended andretracted positions, and an electricalconnectionl cord 10: connectedto; the circuit board. assembly. 6 and extending from, the body; preferablyfromthe end the reof which-carriesthe chuck 8;

The bo dy or case.5 is preferablymoldedof a synthetic resin: or like plasticand formed to have an elongatedjnterion space 11 defined by. a bottom .wall;l 2-, sidewalls 13-and endwall l4. oppositely directedpairs oflugs 15 extend from the-sidewalls 13, the same forming-end: 'eces sesthat;retainthe turnsof th'econnection cord, lflwhen wrapped lengthwisearound the body in .thc out-of-use condition ofthetester The-coverplate 7 enclosesthe space 1 1, In this case, an insulating mernbenlfi is interposedbetween the cover plate .7 and the circuitboard as em ly 6 t e a ter. b ins'i po ed i t vi y c pa e 1 with theele nents'rnounted thereon betweenthe board 17-of-;

said assembly and thebottom vwall l2 ofthe-case.

oiithe NPN= transistor 25, turning the same on, shorting out. the larnp23;,and-causing the lamp 22'to burn fully.

When-the probe 9 comes intocontact with battery, a circuit is established wherein the current flow is through said line 43' and. resistor, 29' to the'conductor. 45 to the base of the PNP transistor. 24; turning the-same on, shorting out lamp 22 and causingathelamp. 2310 burn fully.

The diodes 2,6 and 27"are provided to protect the circuit ShQUld-Ihfi, battery andground connectionsbe reversed.

When theprobe 9 comes into contact with high-level DC, theflow from;the probewill be through line-46, through the glowltube-21gand through resistor-28to ground, causing one electrode-21mmtheother of said tube-to g'low, depending on the'directionofi thepotential of the DC voltage. The polarityindicatinglamps. arefunctionalfor high-level DC polarities; also,.white indicates negative and red indicates positive (4-).

When- AC is encountered by the probe 9, the current flows tothe glowlamp 21, through resistor 28-to=ground, and causes saiditube'toglow onone side or the other due to'the cycling currentafirom' theidiagramof FIG. 4, it will be seen that a circuit from1the probe-9 to the' battery terminal 32 includes the re-- sistor;-29; the conductor-44, NPN transistor 25, conductors 47 remain'dark.

From FIG. 4, it will also be seen that a circuit from the probe 9 to the ground terminal 33 includes the resistor 29. the conductor 45, PNP transistor 24, conductors 49 and 48, lamp 23, and diode 27. When the probe 9 encounters battery, this latter circuit is made, turning on the PNP transistor and illuminating lamp 23. As a consequence, the red jewel 19will glow. The lamp 22, being shorted out by said latter circuit, will remain dark.

Since test lamps in telephone equipment can indicate only one potential at a time, the connections thereto require to be changed to indicate another potential. These lamps cannot read high-level DC or AC without burning out.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A polarity-testing instrument provided with groundand battery terminals adapted for connection to the ground and negative contacts, respectively, of-a battery in a telephone central office switchroom, said instrument comprising:

a. a ground terminal b. a battery terminal I c. a series circuit connecting said ground terminal to-said battery terminal, said series circuit including first and second diodes adjacent said ground and battery; terminals, respectively, and first and second lamps adjacent said first and second diodes, respectively, and in series therewith, said first and second diodes being connected for current flow in said series circuit from said ground'terminal to said battery terminal, d. a probe v e. a first transistor having first and second terminalsconnected to said series circuit across said first lamp and having a third terminal connected to said probe,

f. a second transistor having first and second terminals connected across said second lamp and having a third terminal connected to said probe,

g. one of said transistors being a NPN transistor and the other a PNP transistor, I

h. a second circuit formed when said probe contacts a ground potential, said second circuit including Isaid probe, said first transistor, said second lamp, said second diode and said ,battery terminal, whereby said vfirst transistor turns on thereby shorting out said first lamp, and a current flows from said ground terminal through said first diode, said first transistor, said second lamp and said second diode'to said battery terminal causing said second lamp to illuminate,

i. a third circuit formed when said probe contacts a battery potential, said third circuit including said probe, said second transistor, said first lamp, said first diode and said ground terminal, whereby said second transistor turns on thereby shorting out said second lamp, and a current flows from said ground terminal through said first diode, said first lamp, said second transistor, and said second diode to said battery causing said first lamp to illuminate.

2. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 1 in which a resistor common to said second and third circuits is interposed between said probe and said third terminals offsaid transistors in said circuits.

3. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 1, provided with a fourth circuit between the probe and ground, the same including a glow tube adapted to glow when the probe encounters either high-level DC or AC.

4. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 2, provided with a fourth circuit between the probe and ground, the same including a glow tube adapted to glow when the probe encounters either high-level DC or AC.

5. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 3, provided with a resistor between the glow tube and ground.

6. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 4, provided with a resistor between the glow tube and ground. 

1. A polarity-testing instrument provided with ground and battery terminals adapted for connection to the ground and negative contacts, respectively, of a battery in a telephone central office switchroom, said instrument comprising: a. a ground terminal b. a battery terminal c. a series circuit connecting said ground terminal to said battery terminal, said series circuit including first and second diodes adjacent said ground and battery terminals, respectively, and first and second lamps adjacent said first and second diodes, respectively, and in series therewith, said first and second diodes being connected for current flow in said series circuit from said ground terminal to said battery terminal, d. a probe e. a first transistor having first and second terminals connected to said series circuit across said first lamp and having a third terminal connected to said probe, f. a second transistor having first and second terminals connected across said second lamp and having a third terminal connected to said probe, g. one of said transistors being a NPN transistor and the other a PNP transistor, h. a second circuit formed when said probe contacts a ground potential, said second circuit including said probe, said first transistor, said second lamp, said second diode and said battery terminal, whereby said first transistor turns on thereby shorting out said first lamp, and a current flows from said ground terminal through said first dioDe, said first transistor, said second lamp and said second diode to said battery terminal causing said second lamp to illuminate, i. a third circuit formed when said probe contacts a battery potential, said third circuit including said probe, said second transistor, said first lamp, said first diode and said ground terminal, whereby said second transistor turns on thereby shorting out said second lamp, and a current flows from said ground terminal through said first diode, said first lamp, said second transistor, and said second diode to said battery causing said first lamp to illuminate.
 2. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 1 in which a resistor common to said second and third circuits is interposed between said probe and said third terminals of said transistors in said circuits.
 3. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 1, provided with a fourth circuit between the probe and ground, the same including a glow tube adapted to glow when the probe encounters either high-level DC or AC.
 4. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 2, provided with a fourth circuit between the probe and ground, the same including a glow tube adapted to glow when the probe encounters either high-level DC or AC.
 5. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 3, provided with a resistor between the glow tube and ground.
 6. A polarity-testing instrument according to claim 4, provided with a resistor between the glow tube and ground. 